How does the commission process work?

Get in contact with DreamscaleArtisan via the info point on the home page or the about page and I will be in contact to discuss your project and finesse it to your demands. Please give a rough indication of what you are after when enquiring, please include an idea of scales you wish to be considered and the level of detail you are after. Please also include your preferred method of contact, phone, messenger, Watsapp etc.

Can I adjust the commission once the contract has been signed?

Unfortunately, no. The contract signing is the culmination of the enquiry and detail process and I will have planned the project into the calendar. Adjustment requests after the contract signing will have to go through a separate enquiry and detail process.

How does the payment process work?

Due to the estimation process used in determining the length of a project, it is unfair of me to demand full payment up front. I understand that you are potentially handing over a large sum for my services, and I want you to get value for your money and also to be able to see concrete progress as the project progresses. Prior to contract signing, you will get an estimated & itemised invoice with expected levels of progress from my part and dates for future payments to allow the project to progress. A 25% deposit will be taken at contract signing and then phased payments will be requested as the project hits the milestone events. The project will pause until future phased payments have been made. The final payment will include postage costs and the costs incurred during the enquiry and detail process.

How Long Does it take for the project to be completed?

This is all dependent on the project, its scale, the level of detail you require, the complexity of the kit, and the timescale you are needing it built in.

On average a Medium sized 1/72 kit of medium complexity with no 3rd party after market products would typically be 10-20 Hrs Build, Paint, Decal. With additional detail parts such as Eduard / Aires etc the time goes up by approx 2-3% per item. This would typically take 2-3 weeks of allocated booking time.

Dioramas are unique to the customer and can take anywhere from 30-100 Hrs!

For miniature painting (Infantry type models):

• 3 Colour Basic /Table Top Ready would take approx 20mins per model.

• 3 Colour Basic + shade would take approx 35 mins per model

• Detail can take between 60-600 mins per model dependent on scale and complexity

• Vehicles are dependent on scale but can take from 25-120 Mins to build and paint
  

What is the longest part of the project process?

There are 2 areas that take time:

1. The application of decals to a model. Manufacturers have refined decals to such a degree that they can recreate every transfer that appears on the lifelike prototype. The 1/48 Airfix Hunter has over 160 decals to apply! each decal needs 20s soak in water and 30s release time, followed by approx 2 mins of adjustment, decal adhesive application and decal softener application. Multiply 3 Mins per decal and you are racking up some serious hours!!

2. The design and manufacture of your display base. CAD design is used to get as authentic display base as possible. Then add in the scene you want depicting and the level of detail required (This will be a Vignette or Diorama in its own right!)
   

How does the time allocation work on the booking page?

At the moment, this business runs in the evenings only and a half a day on 2 weekends in each month. I’ve allocated approx 10 Hrs per week towards building models. If you are wanting a model in a tight timeline and there are multiple blocks available for that month, then you can request all the available time.

How are the models procured?

Thera are two ways to do this:

1. DreamscaleArtisan purchases the models from retailers and builds them.

2. You, the customer, can purchase the models and post them to the studio, either built or to be built. Ideally, I would prefer to build the models, as my preferred method of build and paint is in sub assemblies. However, this process is about you, the customer, and I will cater to your needs and wishes

Are there any limitations to your skill set?

Short answer, no! I have over 30 years experience of painting, model making, CAD design, Model Railway scenery making and mechanical engineering skills. If I haven’t tried it before, I will become proficient with my own assets prior to being let lose on your models!